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The 2017 Abilene High Eagles are back on the field in full fledged football mode. After a successful summer where Abilene High made it to the 7 on 7 state tournament, head coach Del Van Cox is feeling good about this Eagles team.
Del Van Cox said, "You know, we had a good summer, good 7 on 7 season, good lineman challenge, good participation in our summer workout program, but it's just great to get everybody back together, back on the same page, back on the routine, getting in a rhythm for the season."
The narrative of this group of Eagles has been how young they are. AHS graduated 36 letterman from last year's area championship team, and only 6 starters return. So a lot of unknowns for this young team, but Coach Cox knows they have time to work out the kinks.
Cox said, "Well you know, we're just trying to get back to where we were from spring training and pick up where we left off there, and then just find some new things that we're going to be good at. Things that guys we have on the team now, find out what they're going to be good at, and that's what we'll try to get better at."
Apart from losing big time starters like Abilene High record setting running back Abram Smith and QB Peyton Killam, the Eagles will have to create brand new offensive and defensive lines, two of their strong points last season. And with only two offensive starters coming back from 2016, it'll be a learning curve.
Cox said, "We've got quite a few going both ways, we kind of did that a little bit last year but we're going to have to do it again a little bit this year. We'll have some young guys up there as well but it's going to be fun. The good thing about young guys is that they're eager and they're excited about their opportunity. So it's going to be a fun year."
But the biggest thing the Eagles are working with is to just keep their eyes forward, and not dwell on the success of last season.
Cox said, "Our guys, you can't take away from what they did, they had a great year, but that was last year's team. I'm excited about what these guys are going to do because it's their bunch. They've heard a lot of naysayers, how can you be so good when you've lost so many. But it's these guys turn, and that's the fun thing about high school football, it's the next guys, the next group's turn and I'm excited to see what these guys are going to do."
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Del Van Cox said, "You know, we had a good summer, good 7 on 7 season, good lineman challenge, good participation in our summer workout program, but it's just great to get everybody back together, back on the same page, back on the routine, getting in a rhythm for the season."
The narrative of this group of Eagles has been how young they are. AHS graduated 36 letterman from last year's area championship team, and only 6 starters return. So a lot of unknowns for this young team, but Coach Cox knows they have time to work out the kinks.
Cox said, "Well you know, we're just trying to get back to where we were from spring training and pick up where we left off there, and then just find some new things that we're going to be good at. Things that guys we have on the team now, find out what they're going to be good at, and that's what we'll try to get better at."
Apart from losing big time starters like Abilene High record setting running back Abram Smith and QB Peyton Killam, the Eagles will have to create brand new offensive and defensive lines, two of their strong points last season. And with only two offensive starters coming back from 2016, it'll be a learning curve.
Cox said, "We've got quite a few going both ways, we kind of did that a little bit last year but we're going to have to do it again a little bit this year. We'll have some young guys up there as well but it's going to be fun. The good thing about young guys is that they're eager and they're excited about their opportunity. So it's going to be a fun year."
But the biggest thing the Eagles are working with is to just keep their eyes forward, and not dwell on the success of last season.
Cox said, "Our guys, you can't take away from what they did, they had a great year, but that was last year's team. I'm excited about what these guys are going to do because it's their bunch. They've heard a lot of naysayers, how can you be so good when you've lost so many. But it's these guys turn, and that's the fun thing about high school football, it's the next guys, the next group's turn and I'm excited to see what these guys are going to do."
More...